Rotary engine.



No. 733,052. i PATENTED JULY 7, 1903..

J. KNOWLES. l

ROTARY ENGINE. ALPPLIQATION mm1) SEPT. 2a, l1952.

5 SHEBTS-SHEET l.

NO MODEL.

No. 733,052.. PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.y

' J. KNOWLES.

- ROTARY ENGINE.

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' J. KNOWLES.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIQ'ATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1902.

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III Il M a M m Il Ill .I Il RN Il No. 733,052. PATBNTED JULY 7, 1903..'

J. KNQWLES." ROTARYNGINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1902. N0 MODEL. 5gHEETS-S'EEET 4Q LMT/0%.

i `ing` a pluralityof cylinders and a valve mech- PATENT OFFIGE.'

y BprARYlENGTINE.

soiIcATIoN forming part of 1Lema-is Patent No. 733,052, dated Jury 7,1903.

, l" 1 `lrppiicaionfuaiSatama23,1902. seiinNaimaea (Nomad.)

To all .kil/hom itmayconcern.: l

Be it known that LJOHN KN GWLES, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of ElPaso andStateof Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRotary Engines; and I do declare the following to be a j full, clear,and exact` description of the invention, suchas will enableothersskilled in use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying/drawings, and to the figures of of this specification. i ii i i My invention relatesto improvements in rotary engines 51 and theobjects of my invention are, first,to i provide a rotary steam-en"- gineadapted for all purposes where power is required, and especially adaptedforautomobiles, yachts, launches, and othermotor-'uusing devices;second, to provide a rotary engine comprising a plurality of cooperatingcylin- Jders and pistons provided with a variable cut-ofi' valvearranged to cut off and usej` the steam expansively at severalpredetermined ports of the operative travel of the rotary pistons third,to provide a rotary engine havi ing a valve-cut-off index, by which thesteam may be cut offiat any desired part ofthe stroke or operative'`travel of the rotarypistons; fourth, to provide 'a rotary enginehavanism arranged to permit a quarter or-a half or three-quarters or thewhole mechanical horse-power of the engine to be used at the will of theoperator by manipulation of the valves and using the steam eXpansively,

while at thesame `time using all ofthe cylinders cooperatively in eithercase; iifth, to pro-` vide a compact, light,'simple, and very highl yefficient power-.producing and economical steam-using rotarysteam-engine. I attain 11 tliese objects bythe mechanism illustrated inAthe accompanying drawings, in which-A Figure l represents an endelevation of what I termthe front end of my improved rotary engine.-Fig. 2is an end elevation of j what I` term the rear end of the engine."y Fig. 3 is a plan view of the engine. Fig. 4 is 5o alongitudinalVertical section of Figs. l, 2,

and 3. Fig. 5 is across-section through one of the cylinders on line 5 5of Figs. 3 and 4.

the art to whichV it appertains to make `and `by ribs 2 to withstand the`inders above. `vided at the sides of the base, and anchorbolts 4 areused to bolt and secure the basebolted together Fig. -6 is a verticalsection of one of the cylu 'off valve. Fig. l1 is a sectional endelevation on line ll Il of FigQ'lO. Fignlf is a side elevation of one ofthesteam-inlet valves. Fig. 13 is a section end elevation on line 13 13of Fig. l2. Fig. 14C is a side View of one of the lpistons. and asection 'of the pistons shaft, the piston being shown partially insection,

showing a recess formed in theperiphery of the disk adjacent to theactuating-arm of the f piston. Fig. l5 is a sectional elevation of oneof the pistons, showing a fragment of the 1 pistons shaft keyed therein.Fig. lo is a plan l view of Fig. li. Fig. 17 is an elevation of theindex model of the cut-oit valve, and Fig. 18 1 is a perspective view ofthe condensed-steamoutlet valve.

Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates the base-plate. Thisplate is preferably a hollow casting suitably strengthened weight ofthecyl- Anchor-bolt holes 8 are proplate tot afoundation. Upon thebase-plate I bolt the engine. The engine for anyhorsepower comprises aplurality of cooperating cylinders arranged side by side with aremovable divisional plate orsupplementary cylinder-heads between eachpair of cylinders, the cylinders and the divisional plates being betweentwo cylinder-heads. The number of cylinders employed depends on'therequirements and also the capacity or horse-power of the engine; but Ipreferably never use less than two cylinders and may use any number, asfour, six,eight, ten, twelve, or more, aseonditions andrequirementsmaysuggest. In the accompanying drawings I show eightcylinders and their divisional plates `bolted together between twocylinder-heads into anengine. The drawings all are one-half IOO size ofengines I shall build, an engine of this size being suitable for allpurposes where i Figs. 6, 7, and 8.

about from ve to eight horse power is required. This size has also beenespecially bers are placed so close together that they intersect eachother, and thus form one oblong chamber with circular'ends. Eachcylinder is a thin ring-shaped member, as shown in It is provided withfeetlugs 7 and 7A on its lower end, which project from its oppositesides and rest on and are bolted to the base by suitable bolts. At thetop of each cylinder a circular valve-port 8 is formed which extendsthrough each cylinder. Steam-passages 9 and 10 ,are formed in the shell.These passages intersect and extend from this valve-port to thediametrical center line between the piston-chambers, where they enterinto the piston-chambers diametrically opposite one another. inlet ports10A and 11 are formed in each vsteam-passage at the diametrical centerline between the piston-chambers. Exhaust-passages 12 and 13 are formedin the shell of each cylinder axially with the piston-chamber and belowthe steam-inlet valve-ports. These exhaust-passages are connected to thesteam-ports by exhaust-ports 14 and 15. At the bottom of each cylinder acondensedsteam passage 16 is formed through the shell of each cylinderparallel with the axis of the two piston-chambers, and a hole 17 isformed through the shell of each cylinder from'the bore of thepiston-chamber into the condensedsteam passage. This passage iscontinued through the rear cylinder-head, and a wastepipe 17 A isthreaded to it to convey the water of condensation away from the engine.rlhe holes 17, leading into the condensed-steam passage, are normallyclosed by a stem 17B,

which extends through the passage from one end of the engine to theother. The under side of the stem is grooved longitudinally, and whenthe stem is turned to a reverse position the groove will lie beneath theholes 1 7 and permit the water of condensation to pass out. The stemextends beyond the front head of the engine and is provided with a crank17C for reversing the samev and is prevented from being withdrawn by ascrew 17D, which passes through the lower edge of the frontcylinder-head and enters a groove 17E in the stem, as s hown in Fig. 4.Above the cut-oif-valve port l form an oil-passage 18,

which extends axially through the shell of each cylinder at the samepoint, so that when the cylinders are bolted together the oil-holes ofeach cylinder will be in perfect alinement and will register with oneanother and form a continuous oil-passage through the cylinders. Fromthe oilpassage of each cylinder an oil-hole is formed vradially into thecut-oif-valve port of each cylinder, so that oil may flowto andlubricate the revolving valves Steamtherein. In one of the cylinders anoil-inlet hole 19 is formed that leads into the oil-hole;

This oil-inlet is preferably threaded and provided with anroil-cup 20.The shell of each cylinder is provided at substantially equal' distancesapart with bolt-holes 21. rlhese bolt-holes are preferably placed inprojecting Y lugs 22, which are preferably formed on the outside of theshell.

In Figs. 3 and 4 eight cylinders and seven supplementary cylinder-headsare shown. A cylinder-head 22A, which I preferably term the frontcylinder-head, is placed at one end of this group of cylinders, and acylinderhead 23, which I term the rear cylinder'- head, is also placedat the opposite end of the cylinders. The cut-o-valve port, also thesteaminlet ports, the steam-exhaust ports, the condensed-steam passage,the oil-passage, and the bolt-holes of each cylinder, extends throughthe supplementary cylinder-heads, and all of these holes and passagesare arranged and formed to registerin axial alinement with 'one another.The piston-cham bers of the cylinders, while they are separated from oneanother by the supplementary cylinder-heads, are also bored out to thesame diameter and are arranged in exact axial alinementwith one another.The cylinders, the supplementary cylinder-head, and the rear and frontcylinder-heads are all bolted very tightly together by bolts 24, whichpass through the bolt-holes 21 of these members. Both the front and rearcylinder-heads are provided with feet-lugs 25 and 26, respectively,which are securely bolted by bolts 27 to the base-plate 1. Apiston-shaft 28 extends axially through the center of the pis.- tonchamber 5 of each cylinder and also through the supplementarycylinder-heads and extends into a stuffing-box 29, formed in the rearcylinder-head, and into and through a stuffing-box 30, formed in thefront cylinderhead. These stuffing-boxes 29 and 30 comprise projectinghub portions. Abushing 31 is fitted in the stuffing-box 29, and theadjacent end of the piston rests rotatively in it and a removable plug-cap is threadedly secured in the end of the stuffing-box. A bushing 33is secured in the inner end of the stuifing box 30, and a gland 3lA isarranged to extend loosely'into the outer end of the stnftingbox. Theouter end of the gland is provided with a flange 32A, and a cap 33A isthreaded to the outer end vof the stuffing-box and is arranged to fitdown over the flange of the gland. inner ends of the bushing and thegland is filled with a suitable packing 34, which by The intermediatespace between the IOO IIO

screwing the cap vonto the end of the stuffing against the piston-rod.The end of the piston-shaft that projects beyond the end of thestuffing-box is reduced in diameter, and a gear-wheel 36 is keyed to it.The extreme u which is threadedly secured in the end of the i box.V TheboX 41 contains a bushing 43 and .cylinder heads.

the ,bearing-box 29 is.

`end of` theshaft extends' beyond the gear-A wheel and is threaded, anda'vnut "37 is threadedly secured thereto. A washer 3S is mounted on `theshaft between the nut and the` gear-Wheel. The nut clamps thegearwheelagainst the shoulder formed by the reduced portionupon whichitis mounted and `secures ,it against accidental displacement therefrom.A piston-shaft 39 is also mounted in stuffing-boxes 40 and 41 in thefront and rear `cylinder-heads, respectively. These stuffing-boxes areexact duplicates of the stuffing-boxes 29 and 30. They are, however,arranged in reverse order, .the packing stufiing-box 41 being on therear cylinderhead instead of on the front cylinder-head,

Vwhere the packing stuffing-box 30 is, and theV bearing-box 40 is ontheyfront cylinder-head instead of on the rear cylinder-head, where Thebearing-box 40 is` provided with a bushing 42 and a cap agland 44 and acap 45` and suitable packing 46 and is arranged similar to the box 30.

The piston-shaft 39 extends axiallyV through the center of thepiston-chamber and also through apertures in the supplementary One endof the shaft 39 projects beyond the stuffing-box 41, and a flywheelpulley 45B is secured to it. These two shafts are positioned parallelwith one another, and upon each in each cylinder I secure, preferably bykeys 46, piston-disks 47 and 48. These piston-disks comprise a diskportionwithan arm extension that eX-tends from the periphery ofthe disk.The peripheries` of thedisk portions of the disks of each may pass eachother as the disks rotate IV form in each disk under the arm arecess 50,

which is adapted toallow the arms of the` disks to pass freely by oneanother as they rotate. The arms of the piston-disks I term the pistons.In Figs. 14, 15, and 16 I illustrate a recess 50A, extending from theperiphery of the disk into it. This recess is positioned just back ofthe piston-arm and is narrower `than the thickness of the disk and isintended `to act as a continuation of the effective steam-surface of thetop of the pistons arm. I do not always employ this recess, but inmostcases preferably do not use it in the piston-disks; but there areconditions in some i n sizes of engines where its use might bebeneficial in increasing the steam area of the piston. The `teethon theperiphery are accuratelycut to `mesh and run closely and practcallynoiselessly together. lhe'piston-arms place a steam-distributing valve51.

. site each cylinder.

-are shown in Figi 5 receiving steam fromthe adjacent steam-port betweenthem, and they rotate in opposite directions, and the upper surfaces orsides of the teeth of the lower piston and the lower surface of theteeth of the `upper piston present effective piston area to- 1the steam,which assists in rotating the pistons. While the two groups of upper andlower pistons may be arranged in any desired.

order, I preferably arrange them in each group =in double spiral order.Thus, commencing at one end of the upper group, there being eight`pistons, the first piston is set at the upward lvertical quarter, thethird at the right-hand horizont-al quarter, the fifth at the downwardvertical quarter, and the seventh at the left- `hand horizontalquarter.v This completes one spiral order. The second piston from thesame end, the first started from in the same group,

commences, preferably, at the downward vertical quarter and continues toalternate :in order to the eighth piston, thus making two spiral ordersof arrangement in the upper group. The lower group is arranged in thesame double spiral order; but the first piston should preferably starton either the right- `hand quarter or the left-hand quarter and thesecond opposite from it. There would then be four spiral orders ofarrangement of the pistons, one starting from each quarter of the circleof the pistons revolution. A-t the top of the group of cylinders in thecut-off-valve port, Which extends through all of the cylinders andsupplementary cylinder -heads, I This steam-valve comprises a tubularsleeve, which IOO is fitted closely but revolubly in the valveport. Acut-off valve 52 is revolubly mounted in the controlling-valve. Thiscut-off valve also comprises a tubular sleeve. i The periphery ofthecut-off valve is provided with eight ports 53, which are spaced at equaldistances apart and positioned to register oppo- The intermediateintegral portions 54 are arranged to register op- :posite thesupplementary cylinder heads. These ports consist of slots cutthroughithe `perpheryof the shell of the valve. The steamdistributingvalve 51 is also provided with ports 51A, spaced at equal distancesapart and positioned tov register opposite the ports in the cut-offvalve, so that as the steam-valve ro-.` `tates the ports when theyregister over one another will form a continuous passage from theinterior of the cut-offto the eXteriorof the steam valve. They are,however, enough smaller in area to cover the portsin the cutoff valveandcomprise apertures cutthrough-` The ports 51 of the periphery of theshell. the steam -distributing valve may be arranged in any desiredorder on the periphery thereof, as the ports for each cylinder i and theacution of each. cylinder are independent of the others. In Figs. 4 and9, however, I illustrate the ports arranged` in spiralorder and at thesame time arranged y opposite one an-` other in pairs, commencing ateither end -of fr i IIC the tubular valve. The second port from-the endis placed opposite the rst portv at the end. The next two ports are-positioned opposite one another, and so on throughout the length of thevalve. The ports, if preferred, can be arranged in a true spiral linefrom one end of the valve to the other and at equal distances apart, asshown in Patent No. 667,713, issued to me February 12, 1901. The orderof arrangement of these ports may be varied as long as vthey arearranged to give each cylinder steam at each full revolution of thevalve. The steam distributing valve is interiorly threaded at one end,and a tubular valve-stem 56 is threadedly secured to the threaded end ofthe valve and is also secured by a pin 56A,

' which is driven into the valve and stein. (See Fig. 9.) This tubularvalve stem projects through a stuffing-box that is formed in the frontcylinder-head. This stuffing-box comprises a hollow hub portion 58,whichis formed on the cylinder head, which is interiorly threaded. A roundnut 58A, which is threaded at each end and is provided with awrenchreceiving portion 59, is threadedly secured to the interior of thehub. An axial bore GO is formed in the nut in which the valve-stem isrevolubly fitted, and a packing-chamber (il is formed concentric withthe bore of the hub. A gland 62 fits slidably in the counterbore of thenut and on the valve-stein and is provided with a projecting iiange 63.A vcap 64 is threadedly secured adj ustably to the threaded end of thenut and is provided with an end flange that fits over the end of thegland and down over its projecting iiange, and a suitable packing 65 isplaced in the packing-chamber. The valve-stem extends beyond thestuffingbox, and its end is reduced in diameter, and a gear-wheel G6 iskeyed or otherwise secured to it. This gear-wheel is of the samediam'eter and contains-the same number of teeth as the gear-wheel on thepiston-shaft. The cut-off valve 52 is also provided with a valvestem 67,which is fitted revolubly in and extends through and beyond the tubularvalvestem of the steam-distributing valve. Its outer end is reduced indiameter, and a wormwheel 68 is keyed or otherwise secured to it. Thevalve-stem extends beyond the wormwheel, and a hood 69 is looselymounted on it. This-hood is provided with a flange portion that isarranged to stand substantially even with the end of the valve-stein,and an index 70 is marked on the face of the iiange, which forms anindicating-dial and is used to indicate the various points of cut-offthe valves are capable of. Thirteen index-lilies are shown.

'The vertical one in -the center represents the valve at two-thirds ofits full cut-off position v and six lines on each side of it the sixpoints of steam cut-off in the operative travel of the piston-arms. Theheavy index-lines 7 O on each side of the dial indicate the distance thecut-off valve must be moved in either direction in order to entirely cutoff the steam on either side. An index-hand 71 is secured by a screw 72to the end of the valve-stem and is shown pointed tothe vertical line ofthe index-dial. In order to determine the exact position of the vcut-offvalve, I secure to the index-hand a cross-section model or form 73 ofthe cut-od valve. This cross-section is a thin disk and is an exactduplicate of a section taken at any part of Fig. 10 through any of theports and is a substantial duplicate of the section shown in Fig. 11. Isecure this model to the indexhand by a pin 74 and arrange it so thatthe opposite edges of its ports will stand at right angles to theindex-hand, as shown in Fig. 1. The dial-hood is supported by two arms77 and 78A, which are secured at one end to the cylinder-head and at theopposite ends are provided with collars and with reduced threaded endsto which nuts 78 and 7 SA are threaded. (See Fig. 3.) The hood extendsdown below the worm-gear, and ears 79 and 7 9A are formed on the lowerend, which are mounted on the reduced ends of the arms 77 and 7 7A andare secured there by the nuts 78 and 7 8A. The' depending end of thehood is provided with a laterally-extending hub portion 80, which isarranged at right angles to the axis of the valve-stein. An axial boreis formed in this hub, and a shaft 8l is mounted revolubly' in it. Aworm-pinion 82 is secured to this shaft in the bottom portion of thehood to mesh into the worm-gear. This shaft 81 extends beyond thehood'at both ends. At one end a collar S3 is secured by a pin or other.suitable means, and at the opposite end a crankhandle 83A is secured bywhich the pinion and gear-wheel and the cut-off valve may be turned andthe steam cut off as desired, as will be explained more fullyhereinafter.

An oil-passage 811 is formed in the front cylinder-head by a groove cutto intersect a counterbore 85. The oil-passage intersects the oil-holethrough the top of the cylinders, and an oil-hole 86 is drilled throughthe steamvalve close to the end that extends into the counterbore S5 inthe front cylinder-head. The oil-hole 86 intersects the oil-hole Se andallows oil to iiow to the stem of the cut-off valve. The counterborealso acts as an oilpassage to convey oil to the end of the valve thatextends into the counterbore ofthe front cylinder-head. The steam-inletto the valves is arranged in the rear cylinder-heads, into which theopposite ends of the valves preferably proj eet. The cut-off and steamvalves terminate even with each other and preferably proj ectinto a hole87, formed in the rear cylinder-head'in axial alinement with the axis ofthevalves. The hole 87 is formed in a proj ecting hub portion 88, formedon the outside of the rear cylinder-head, the outer portion of theinterior of which is of larger diameter and is interiorly threaded. Aplug-nut 89 is threaded to screw into said hole, and its inner end ispositioned to form an abutment to the end thrust of the valves.

A wrench-re- ICO lIO

ceiving portion 90 is formed on the nut-plug Y by which it is insertedor removed from the cylinder=head,` Ahole 91 is'formed throughV thecenter of the plug-nut, and a pipe 92 is threadedly secured to theplug-nut. This.

pipe 92 is provided with an elbow 93, from which a pipe extends to asteam-supply.

94 and 95 designate lcombined steam inlet and exhaust valves. They arelocated at the lower end of the steam-ports 9 and 10 on opposite sidesof the cylinder. i These valves comprise` cylindricalA stems, (see Figs.12 and 1.3,) with eight ports 96 cut substantiallydiametrically throughthe periphery of the stems at equal distances apart throughout the` mlength of the valve, leaving semicircularintegral disk portions 97betweenthe ports, the ports being in area practically one half of .thecircumference of the `tubular valves and the blank valve portion theother half.

'Thevalves extend through the group of cylinders and supplementarycylinder-heads that comprise theN engine.` The ports 96 registeropposite the steam-passages 9 and 10 of each cylinder, while theintegral semicircular portions register opposite the supplementarycylinder-heads. These valves are each pro'- videdwith an extension 98,which projects through suitable stuffing-boxes 100 and 101,

which are similar in construction and arrangement to the stuffing-boxesof the pistonshafts whicli'are fully described above. The valvestem 98projects beyondthe stuffing-box 100,

\ and a crank-arm 102 is preferably secured to i it by a pin 103, whichis driven through the arm and stem. A handle 104: is also formedintegral with the crank-arm. The crank-arm is preferably positioned at adownward and outward angle from the center of the engine,\vhile i thehandle is positioned in a vertical position.

The` extension 9S of the opposite valve also projects beyond thestufIing-box 101, and a crank-arm 105 is securely fastened, preferably,by apin 106, which is driven through both. The valves are `positioned inreverse or opposite positions in the steam-inlet ports,

.i crank-arm 102, and this angular position is i such that willpermitthem to have a horizontal swinging movementpast the valve-stems that iwill reverse' the position of the .steam-inlet valves-that is, close thevalve 10 and open the m valve 9. In order to accomplishthis reversemovement `of xboth valves simultaneously, Ipivotally connect the ends ofthe cranky armsby screw-bolts 106 and 107 to the oppo-` siteends of anAarm 10S. The arm108 is.

curved torextend `over 'the projecting hub that `supports the `adjacentend of` .the lower piston -Lshaft 109one-quarter of a`revolution,,oruntil it the pistons and their shafts.

`rection of the arrow 121. Iarrive at thediametrical oppositeside of thepiston-chambers, the steam exhausts through `the combined steam inletand exhaust valve It. is then only necessary to move the handle in thedirection of the arrow:

stands in a horizontal position, to reverse Vthe valves and thedirection of 'motion of the pistons andsteam-valve, and consequently ofthe engine.

The exhaust-passages 12 and I 13 extend axially through allof the cylin-`ders and supplementary cylinder-heads and through both .cylinder-heads.i The exhaustpassages are closed at the front cylinder-head and bytheplugs 110 and 111, and at the rear cylinder-head end they are threadedlycon- `nected to nipples, to which elbows 112 and 113 are secured. Fromthese elbows nipples extend to elbows 111i and .115, which are locatednear the top of the engine. These elbows connect by nipples with a T116, from which a pipe may be led to carry the exhauststeam away. fromthe engine.

The operation of my improved rotary engine isV as follows: Steam isadmitted to. the inside ofthe cut-olf valve through the steam.-

ipipe from a source of steam-supply. This cut-off valve is stationary;but its position is adjustably changeable by hand i through the mediumof the handle and the worm-gear and pinion which are connected to itsvalve-stem. It is set to stand with its valve portion `on the bottom ofthe valveport and with its i ports vertically upward, in which positionits ports are equally open to the. steam-ports 9 `and 10 on each sideof` it. Its indicating- `model stands in the same position on the face`of the dial, with the edges of its ports registering with the lowersubstantially horizontal lines 117 and 118 of the index of the dial,

while the hand points vertically and registers on the center line 119 ofthe dial. The steamdistributing valve revolves on the cut off Ivalvecontinuously While the pistons are running, and it is geared to theshaft of the upper group of pistons to make a complete revolution in thesame time and in unisonwith The steam passes from the interior ofthecut-off valve `through the ports of the revolving steam-distributingvalveV into the ports 9 or 10, depending on which is open. In Fig. 5`the port 10 is'open and the port 9 is closed bythe steamnlet valve 94.Consequently the steam enters the port 10 through the port of thesteamdistributing valve from the cut-off valve and flows through thevalve 95 into the pistonchambers and forces the upper .piston-arm `upand around inthe direction of the arrow 120 and the lower piston-armdown in the di- When the pistons 94 into the exhaust-port14 andexhaust-passage 12` and escapes to the atmosphere-3.` j -Thef `upper andlower `pistons thuscoperate to develop power, which is taken from themby a flywheel and belt or other suitable means. In order to use thesteam expansively, it is only vnecessary to turn the cut-o valve bymeans of the handle and worm-gears and index-hand and the model-valve tothe point of cut-olf IIO desired on the dial. Thus the dial, asillustrated, is graduated to six parts of the fullsteam operativemovement of the pistons. Consequently if it is desired to cut oii atonesixth of the' operative stroke or movement of the pistons it is onlynecessary to move the hand-index to the dial-line 122. The model willthen move to dial-line 123, indicating that the cut-off valve has beent-urned to close the space between the edge 121 of its valve and theedge 125 of the steam-port 10, and thus permitting thesteam-distributing valve as it rotates to close its port-openingone-sixth quicker as it passes these two points when admitting steam toport 10. If it is desired to cut off at one-third of the stroke, thehandindex is moved to the second dial-line from the vertical andone-half to the third dial-line, and if two-thirds, to the fourthdial-line, and if ve-sixths, to the fifth. The cut-off valve is movedlaway from the port 10 when the steam is entering that port and awayfrom port 9 when the steam is entering port 9, in which case thesteam-valve and the pistons would be rotating in reverse direction fromthat shown in Fig. 5. It will thus be seen that I am able to use steamin my rotary engine in the most practical manner expansively to thefullest limit employed'in the most modern highest-grade steam-engines ofany type the state of the art has developed to the present time and thatmy engine will develop much greater power, more economical in the use offuel and of steam, with far less. expense as to cost of material andworkmanship and foundation-space than any steam-engine yet produced.

I have described my engine in connection i with steam, which will be themost generallyshould be attached to an automobile, on level roads butlittle power would be required, and the cut-off valve could be set tocut off at onesixth of the stroke. If the automobile was climbing -aslight hill, the cut-off valve could lbe moved to cut off at two-sixthsor one-third of the stroke. If a steep hill was to be ascended, thecut-off valve would be moved to cut off at two-thirds of the stroke. Ineach case more power would be requiredv and more would be supplied bythe engine. This feature, which is one of great value, is especiallywell adapted to hoisting-engines for mining purposes. If one of myengines is employed in hoisting rock or dirt in sinking shaft, say, athousand feet deep for the first two hundred feet the steam can be cutoff at one-sixth of the operative stroke of the pistons. The next twohundred feet the steam can be cut off at two-sixths or one-third of thestroke,

the next two hundred at three-sixths or onehalf of the stroke, and so onuntil thelast two hundred, where steam would be used under directpressure and not expansively.

Vhile I have illustrated and described the preferred construction of myimproved rotary engine, I do not wish to be limited to the exactconstruction and arrangement shown, as many changes might be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I lclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

- 1. In a rotary engine, an operative group'of cylinders, each beingprovided with two intersecting pistonchambers and having a steam-inletport and two steam-ports extending from said steam-inlet port to andentering opposite sides of each cylinder in said group of cylinders, andan exhaust-port leading from each cylinder to the atmosphere, anoperative valve in said steam-inlet port arranged to admit steamoperatively to all of said cylinders, valves arranged at opposite sidesof each cylinder and extending through all of said cylinders and adaptedand arranged to control and govern the direction of rotary movement ofsaid engine, rotary pistons operatively mounted in each cylinder andarranged to rotate with their peripheries in rolling and intermeshingcontact and arranged to receive steam from said valved steam-portsbetween them, suitable front and rear cylinder-heads for said group ofcylinders, divisional or supple mentary cylinder-heads arranged betweeneach cylinder and adapted to separate said cylinders and their pistonsone-from another and means for detachably securing said cylinder andsupplementary cylinder-heads and said front and rear cylinder-heads intoan operative engine, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, ya plurality of cylinders, each comprisingcircular intersecting rotary piston-chambers, a pair of cooperatingrotary pistons in the said piston-chambers of each cylinder, portsarranged to admit steam at opposite sides of said piston chambers, acut-oi-valve mechanism arranged to control said steam ports and arrangedandv adapted to adjustably cut off the steam at predetermined portionsof said pistons operative movement, combined steam inlet and exhaustvalves arranged to control the ingress and egress of the steam from saidsteam-ports into and from said piston-chambers, and suitableexhaust-ports extending from said combined steam inlet and exhaustvalves to the atmosphere, substantially as described.

3. In a rotary enginea plurality of cylinders, each being divided fromone another by of cylinders, a pair of cooperating rotary pis-y IOO IIO

y ing to and `from said cylinders, `and a power rotative movement ofsaid connection between the piston-shafts and said adjustable cut-offvalve arranged and adapted tooperate said valve in unison with thepistons, substantially as described.

4:. In a rotary engine the combination of a group of cylinders', eachhaving two intersecting rotary piston-chambers so arranged as to form acontinuous monolithic piston-chamber with a cylindrical piston-chamberat each end, a pair of piston-disks operatively mounted in each chamber,each having a toothed periphery arranged and adapted to mesh operativelyandto roll together, a piston-arm extending from each of said tootheddisks to the inner periphery of the surrounding chamberof each disk anda recess in each piston-disk arranged and adapted to permit each pistonsarm to pass through its cooperating piston-disk as it rotates in itsrespective chamber and passes through an arc of the adjacentpistonschamber, and a steam impact-recess adjacent to the upper side orsteam impact portion of said piston-arms extending into the periphery ofsaid disks between their sides, substantially as described.

5'. In a rotary engine, the combination with the cylinders, the pistonsand the cylinderheadsof a condensed-steam passage arranged below saidcylinders and extending in axial alinement with said cylinders andpistons through the shell of said cylindersand cylinder-heads to theatmospherea valve in said passage `comprising a rod provided witha portcomprising an axial groove, means including a lever for rotating saidvalve to operatively open and close said valve, an aperture extendingfrom the bottom of each cylg inder into said condensed-steam passage,and

a pipe secured to the entrance of said conj densed-steam passage leadingaway from said cylinders, substantially as described.

G. In airotary engine, the combination of the supporting-base, thecylinders, the rotary pistons and their piston-shafts, the rear and maincylinder-heads provided with suitable stuffing-boxes for saidpiston-shafts, the supplementary cylinder-heads, the steam-inlet,

steam-distributing, and steam-exhaust ports, g with a combined cut-offand steam-distributing valve operatively arranged in said steaminletport, means including gearing for actuating said steam-distributingvalve operatively irom and in unison with the rotary movement of saidpistons, means including gearing and indicating mechanism attached tosaid cut-oi valve for adjusting and for ine dicating the amount ofadjustment of said cut-oit valve relative to said steam-ports wherebysteam may be used expansively, combined steam inlet and exhaust valvesarranged in said steam and exhaust ports at opposite sides of saidcylinders, one of which is arranged to be open when the other is closed,j and means including a lever for connecting said valves together intheir operative reverse position and means including a `manuallyoperatedhandle for reversing the operative position of said valves whereby saidsteam and exhaust ports are controlled and its direction of rotarymovement may be reversed at the will of the operator, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination of the cylinders, the pistons andthe cylinder heads, with the condensed-steam passage extending axiallythrough said cylinders,`the valve rotatably mounted in said passage, the

ports extending from each cylinder into said e passage and opening intothe atmosphere means including a pin for confining said valve rotatablyin operative position and a lever in the end of said valve to operatethe same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

JOHN KNOWLES.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, JosErH WILKINSON.

